As the sole leasing and management agent of the Bahrain World Trade Center (BWTC), DTZ Bahrain is playing a crucial role in ensuring its future success as a world-class business address and Bahrain’s only ultra high-end shopping destination.

To tackle this challenging task, DTZ Bahrain – part of DTZ Group, one of the world’s largest international property consultants – has a structured leasing and marketing plan in place that is being constantly reviewed and revised in line with the demand. As per this plan, the firm has not only been aggressively promoting the project within the regional market but has also organised a global sales and promotional campaign to entice international corporate clients to set up base at the BWTC.
“We have been extremely successful in our efforts and, over the coming weeks, we will reveal the names of the international firms which at present do not have a presence in Bahrain but who will be tenants of this property,” says Claire Hughes, associate director of DTZ Bahrain.
DTZ has already announced a number of significant anchor office tenants including Kuwait Finance House, Bank Muscat International and National Commercial Bank, highlighting the regional appeal of the development. These tenants alone encompass 40 per cent of the lettable office space, she points out.
Elaborating on the targeted clientele for the development, she says: “In terms of the two towers, we are aiming for a cross-sectoral tenant mix as the goal of any World Trade Center is to build cross-selling benefits within the development and across the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) alliance. In addition, we are also looking to have as many sectors as possible represented to provide a capsule example of what is available in Bahrain to external markets.”
The BWTC is a prestigious landmark offering world-class office accommodation. It features 34 office floors in each of the two towers, ranging in area from approximately 820 sq m on the lower floors to 120 sq m on the top floor. The towers will provide a total leasable area of just over 31,000 sq m (excluding the service and health club floors) for upmarket regional and international offices.
“These two towers have been designed and will be operated giving top priority the needs of their tenants,” she comments. “The complex will feature intelligent services, top-of-the-line security services and other facilities catering to the daily needs of its occupants in establishing a high-profile corporate identity.”
The development will be operated by an intelligent building management system (IBMS), which allows optimum control over the common facilities, security and maintenance of the building to ensure the smooth-running and cost-effective management and maintenance of the development. A competent DTZ Bahrain management team will also put in place well-planned maintenance procedures to ensure that the property is well maintained.
The expanded shopping facility at the complex, known as Moda Mall, is expected to build on the reputation that the existing Bahrain Commercial Complex enjoys and has already attracted leading international brands. It will feature some 160 luxury retail outlets.
“We have been collating retail enquires for more than two years now and the demand has been exceptionally high. This has allowed us to be selective with the retailers and ensure we have the best possible tenant mix to drive the mall to be as successful as possible,” says Duaij AlRumaih, associate director of DTZ Bahrain. “Already the mall is pretty much fully let with only a few small units still available to top-end international brands.”
DTZ is a leading name in the world’s major business centres with more than 10,000 people operating from 200 offices in 40 countries around the globe, providing advice to multinational companies, major financial institutions, property companies, banks, governments and other public sector organisations.
In 1975 DTZ was the first to establish a permanent presence in the Gulf and operate throughout the Middle East property markets. “Throughout this time it has maintained a multi-national team that continues to offer unparalleled expertise to our client base,” says a DTZ spokesman. “This service is further enhanced by our ability to call on specialist skills available throughout our network of global offices as and when required.”
DTZ provides a complete range of property advisory services to include:
• Feasibility studies and research: Its team can offer detailed market evaluation, highlighting to investors and developers, both market-related and financial risk factors that may affect the success or failure of any given project;
• Property management, providing comprehensive services that range from day-to-day facilities management, through to detailed asset management;
• Property valuations, which is a core activity. DTZ regularly values assets throughout the GCC to include land, residential, retail, industrial, leisure and offices as well as specialist plant and machinery. All valuations are undertaken by qualified members of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, thus ensuring a consistent and professional approach to each assignment.
• International sales and acquisitions: Through its international network of offices, DTZ is able to access information on all major markets across the globe and provide the relevant knowledge and expertise required to achieve a bespoke and seamless service. When clients wish to sell their assets abroad, DTZ is able to formulate a local or international marketing strategy to ensure that the asset is targeted at the appropriate audience.
Other services include: building consultancy, environmental consultancy, project management, financial services, portfolio asset management, urban regeneration, hotel valuation, relocation advice, funding, compulsory purchase, facilities management, lease renewal, rent reviews, property taxation, business rating, shopping centre management, residential estate agency, space audit planning, land development and planning law.